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Injuries aside, the Angels have built up a young pitching staff over the past 8 years (mostly since 2013). Including Jaime Barria - who should debut some time in 2018, and Nate Smith - who’d already have debuted if not for bad luck with injuries, the Angels have 12 MLB ready starting pitchers and their average age is ONLY 26.5. That average would drop to 26 years old if you didn’t count the oldest pitcher on the staff - Matt Shoemaker who is a mere 31.
Angels Starting Pitchers
| Name | Throws | Age | Control through | How Aquired | Year | GM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Throws | Age | Control through | How Aquired | Year | GM | Notes |
| Garrett Richards | R | 29 | 2018 | Drafted | 2009 | Reagins | |
| Shohei Ohtani | R | 23 | 2023 | International Free Agent | 2017 | Eppler | |
| Matt Shoemaker | R | 31 | 2020 | Non-Drafted Free Agent | 2009 | Reagins | |
| JC Ramirez | R | 29 | 2021 | Waivers | 2016 | Eppler | |
| Tyler Skaggs | L | 26 | 2020 | Trade | 2013 | Dipoto | |
| Parker Bridwell | R | 26 | 2022 | Purchased | 2017 | Eppler | |
| Nick Tropeano | R | 27 | 2021 | Trade | 2014 | Dipoto | |
| Andrew Heaney | L | 26 | 2021 | Trade | 2014 | Dipoto | |
| Troy Scribner | R | 26 | 2023 | Purchased | 2016 | Eppler | |
| Jaime Barria | R | 21 | 2023 | International Free Agent | 2013 | Dipoto | |
| Alex Meyer | R | 28 | 2022 | Trade | 2016 | Eppler | Will miss 2018 |
| Nate Smith | L | 26 | 2023 | Drafted | 2013 | Dipoto | Will miss 2018 |
You can pick on the quality, injuries, etc. all you want, but the truth is that the team has done a good job of acquiring these young pitchers with Billy Eppler adding 5 to this list in just 2.5 years - compared to Jerry Dipoto who also added 5 to this list but over 4.5 years. Eppler also added some quality dudes in Alex Meyer, Parker Bridwell, JC Ramirez, and most recently, Shohei Ohtani.
Surprisingly, only 2 of these pitchers were drafted (Richards and Smith) and 7 of them were acquired by trade (or waivers). Three more of them were signed as free agents.
Take a look at the 5 youngest rotations in 2017:
Team (Avg. age)
Colorado Rockies (24.2)
Philadelphia Phillies (25.6)
Pittsburgh Pirates (25.6)
Oakland Athletics (26.2)
New York Mets (26.2)
Of course those were actual rotations and not all potential pitchers, but with the acquisition of Shohei Ohtani and Jaime Barria on the near horizon, the Angels rotation is definitely trending younger (and stronger). Younger doesn’t always equal better, but it does come at a lower cost and you are able to spend money of guys like Trout, Simmons, Pujols, Upton, etc.
Eppler, and those that came before him, have done a good job at building this squad. Many clamor for the Angels to draft pitchers early every June but that is not always the way to build a championship team. Go ahead and look at the 2016 Cubs and how Theo Epstein built that roster. Looking at the top 5 starting pitchers, you have 2 acquired by trade and 3 signed as free agents. Not one of them came from the draft. Last year, Houston DID have success with two of their pitchers (Dallas Keuchel, 7th round and Lance McCullers, 1st round) originating in their own draft, but the rest of the rotation was built through trades and free agent signings.
Keep doing your thing Angels - and Billy Eppler. It will work. It’s just a matter of time.